Wetherspoon profits ale and hearty

Pub chain JD Wetherspoon has reported frothing business, with sales to date this year up 40% on the previous year. The group, which runs 401 pubs in Britain after opening 24 new pubs in the quarter, said total sales in the 13 weeks to April 30 rose to £95.5m.

The group reported a 10% increase in third quarter like-for-like sales.